Unity is a FACT

National Angling & Fisheries Organisations to Speak with One Voice


Realising the wish for a single body to represent fisheries and angling interests in England and Wales, the national organisations have reached agreement on the formation of FACT, Fisheries and Angling Conservation Trust Ltd, to represent all angling disciplines and fisheries in the national arena. Nine members of the National Angling Alliance, Joint Angling Governing Bodies and the Moran Committee have come together to form FACT, a company limited by guarantee and incorporated on 23rd December 2004.



At the first meeting of FACT held on January 17th 2005 a board of directors was appointed by the member organisations, with Lord Moran as Chairman and Jim Glasspool as Vice Chairman. FACT intends to appoint an Executive Officer, whose responsibility will be to develop the funding strategy of the new organisation and to offer administrative and secretarial support to the various FACT working groups.



The Moran Committee and the NAA have, in the past, been provided with secretarial support, accommodation for meetings, and other assistance by the Salmon & Trout Association, for which both bodies are extremely grateful. FACT however, will be independent and initial funding for the work of FACT has been provided by the member organisations.



FACT will continue the work previously carried out by the individual bodies in representing angling and fisheries interests to government and NGOs, and will act as the focal point for consultation on both fisheries and angling matters. The new organisation will provide support to the various committees serving angling and fisheries and incorporate them into its future structure.



FACT committees, drawing from the membership of the founders and the expertise of independent advisors, will be working in the areas of angling participation and development, inclusivity, ethics and gender, marine enforcement and strategy, fisheries matters including a new fisheries bill, UK water legislation and European environmental legislation as well as working with the major political parties to raise the profile of angling in their manifestos and during the forthcoming election. Further working groups will be set up to deal with funding, promotion and media relationships. The new structure will go a long way to preventing duplication of effort and will be able to direct tasks to the best qualified of its members. This will add dramatically to the expertise which fisheries and angling can bring to bear on issues of the day.



Membership of FACT is open to national organisations representing fisheries and angling interests in England and Wales. The founder members of FACT are; Angling Trades Association, Association of Stillwater Game Fishery Managers, Atlantic Salmon Trust, Commercial Coarse Fisheries Association, National Association of Fisheries and Angling Consultatives, National Federation of Anglers, National Federation of Sea Anglers, Salmon and Trout Association and the Specialist Anglers’ Alliance.



The Board of Directors is Dr Bruno Broughton, Terry Fell, Ann Freeman, Jim Glasspool, Michael Heylin, Tim Hoggarth, Paul Knight, Terry Mansbridge, David Moore, The Lord Moran, David Rowe. The Welsh Angling and Fisheries organisations are also interested in joining FACT.

The registered office of Fisheries and Angling Conservation Trust Ltd is Federation House, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire CV8 2RF.